Brendon McCullum and Viv Richards' record-breaking centuries were struck 30 years apart, in different conditions and different eras. Richards' record may have been broken, but the innings will stand the test of time.

Brendon and Sir Viv unleash

Brendon McCullum has broken Viv Richards' record fast century, but how much has changed since Sir Viv was thrashing attacks around the world?

In breaking Richards' record, McCullum enhances both his reputation, and Richards'. Richards' knock is not diminished by McCullum bettering it. Some would argue it remains the better innings: played at a time with no boundary ropes, older bats without the spring and no helmets.

It should be noted that in 2014, Misbah-Ul-Haq equalled Richards' 56-ball ton record in Abu Dhabi, in the second Test against Australia. That innings is not referenced with the awe that Richards' is, partly because it was in an empty stadium in the home of neither team and played when television audiences were largely asleep.

His 56-ball century came on the old St John's Recreation Ground, which has been replaced by the soulless Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in a remote part of the island. The ground staff at Antigua in 1986 were the inmates of the local prison where Richards' dad was a prison guard.

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The old Rec ground, like Christchurch's Hagley Oval where McCullum slapped his way to the new 54 ball record, is small - 138 metres x 131 metres - and has always been regarded as batting paradise. It was also the scene of Brian Lara's 400 not out in 2004, a record for the highest individual Test score. There were no ropes around the boundary in Antigua and at the boundary there were high fences and seating stands stacked up right at the fence. The ground was small, but Richards made it look even smaller.

The Christchurch ground is listed an oval – in width not length – but measures 149m x 149m. So it is slightly larger than Antigua, but then there are ropes inside the boundary.

Richards used a Duncan Fearnley bat when he set the record, not the enormous Stuart Surridge Jumbo he used for other long period of his career. He always favoured a heavy bat – not as heavy as Clive Lloyd's, but still a tree - and he used it like a club.

McCullum's Puma bat is of the style of modern bats that are thick but light, having been air-dried and not pressed.

The West Indies were in command of the Test and the series when Richards went to the crease. They had already won the first four Tests against England and so had also already won the series. In this dead rubber fifth Test, the Windies had a 164-run first innings lead when they went in for the second innings. Richards, batting at three (he came in at five in the first innings), arrived at the wicket with the score 1-100, his team enjoying a lead of 264 already. It was not the most challenging situation to bat in.

Ian Botham was leading England's attack. It doesn't need to be mentioned, but we will – Richards was not wearing a helmet. He never did. He swung, often taking a hand off the bat like Rafael Nadal hitting a sweeping backhand with his left arm.

Fast forward to 2016. New Zealand were a Test down and 3-32 when McCullum arrived at the crease by way of an Australian guard of honour. The pitch was tricky.

"On that wicket the feedback from the boys was that at any stage the ball could have your name on it. I tried to be as positive as I possibly could and hoped things would roll our way," McCullum explained.

"When Corey came out he played aggressively and we started to get some momentum. We were able to knock them off that difficult length at the top of off stump. If you're just trying to hang in there on that wicket, around the top of off stump, you're in big trouble. It's nice when things come off."

McCullum said he didn't know he was getting close to breaking Richards' record: "No idea. I was trying to hit every ball for four or six."

Typically for the likeable McCullum, he was almost a little upset he had taken Richards' record.

"He was my idol growing up. It's nice to be able to go past him but jeez he was a cracking player, an incredible cricketer. I'm almost a bit embarrassed to go past him, to be honest. Hopefully he enjoyed a bit of the strokemaking, we'll call it," said McCullum.

He did. The respect was mutual.

"I have been a great fan of your play for many years," Richard said in a video message.

"If there was going to be an individual who you would have liked to surpass whatever you have achieved in life certainly it would be you. You are one of those individuals who help put bums on seats. Long may that continue. Well done, man."